Rose Cake

 This cake was a lot of fun to do...though I was really nervous going into it.  In the above picture we sprayed the cake with a purple food color spray.  It didn't really show up too great in pictures...but then again I don't have the best camera to work with.

Here's the completed cake just white.  Don't look too close or you'll see all my mistakes...but it looks pretty good.

Chicken Marsala

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

8 ounces crimini or porcini mushrooms, stemmed and halved

1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Breakfast Casserole

⅓ cup butter
½ cup prepared biscuit mix
1 ½ cups milk
3 eggs
1 cup chopped ham or bacon
½ cup cheese

Combine butter and prepared biscuit mix.  Add eggs.  Mix well.  Add milk, ham, and cheese.  Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes.

California Zucchini Bake

1 lb. Ground beef (or Turkey burger)
3 each Zucchini, sliced thin
¼ cup Green Onions, sliced
¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 teaspoon Chili Powder
4 ounce Green Chilies, diced
3 cups Rice, cooked
1 cup Sour Cream
2 cups Cheese (I omit the cheese, but sprinkle a bit on top of half the casserole for my family)
about ½ - 1 teaspoon Salt
about ¼ teaspoon Pepper

Sauté the beef, zucchini, green onions, salt, garlic powder and chili powder in a lightly greased skillet until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender crisp, stirring frequently.  Add green chilies, rice, sour cream and 1 cup of cheese.  Turn into a greased shallow 2-quart casserole.  Arrange tomato slices on top and season with salt and pepper.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese browns.

Steak Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
3 tablespoons steak sauce (e.g. A-1)
4 (10 ounce) Delmonico (rib-eye) steaks

Combine the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, rosemary, and steak sauce in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until well blended.  Prick steaks on both sides with a fork, and place in a shallow container with a lid. Pour marinade over steaks, cover, and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or overnight. 

*Don't overmarinade them (i.e. 24 hrs) or the get super salty!  Been there...done that.

French Dip

½ lb. sliced deli roast beef
Sliced Swiss cheese
1 packet prepared Schillings AuJus sauce
Hogi rolls

 Prepare AuJus sauce as directed on the packet.  Put meat in sauce to warm up.  Butter the top of the bun.  Put the meat and cheese on the bottom bun.  Place buns in the oven to brown and melt cheese.  Put together and enjoy.  You can dip the sandwiches in the remaining sauce.

Barbecued Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2 ½ lbs. pork roast
1 bottle (14 ounce) of your favorite barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 medium onion, chopped
8 hamburger buns or hard rolls

Place the pork roast in a crock-pot and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours or until done.  Remove the pork roast from the crock-pot.  Shred the meat with two forks and pour out any liquid from the crock-pot.  Return the pork to the stoneware and add the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and onion.  Cook on low for 1 hour or on high for 2 hours.  Serve the pork on hamburger buns or hard rolls.

Corned Beef & Cabbage...St. Patrick's Day

Corned Beef Roast
5 peppercorns
8-10 small red potatoes
Carrots...I like a lot of vegetables
1 large Head Cabbage
Broth

Trim fat from roast.  Place in stock pot and cover with beef broth & chicken broth and water (until covered completely).  Add seasoning packet and peppercorns.  Cook 50 minutes for each pound of roast.  Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.  Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Café Rio At Home

Source: my sister-in-law

1 medium pork roast (3-5 lbs.)

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups sugar (you can add up to 2 cups depending on how sweet you like it)

1 can coke

16 ounces “FRESH” salsa

In crock pot, place pork roast with a small amount of water.  Cover and let cook 8-12 hours on low heat until cooked through.  Drain the fat from the crock pot and shred the meat.  Pour coke, salsa, and sugar over the roast and stir.  Cover and let cook for 1 hour.  When done serve with lime rice (see recipe below), your favorite beans (pinto, black, or refried) and put all ingredients on a warm tortilla and cover with tomatillo dressing (see recipe below) that has been warmed.

Tomatillo & Cilantro Dressing (green ranch sauce)

1 package buttermilk ranch dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and milk to make 1 cup buttermilk*

1 cup sour cream

1 cup chopped cilantro

3 tomatillos (green tomato – can use canned ones)

3 cloves garlic

In a blender, put buttermilk, sour cream, mayo and package of buttermilk dressing.  Take cilantro bunch and tear off leaves (do not use courser stems, but little ones connected to leaves are okay.)  Place cilantro leaves in blender.  Peel covering off of tomatillos and remove core.  Chop in half, place in blender.  Add minced garlic and cayenne pepper into blender.  Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  Warm for pork burritos.

Lime Rice

2 cups white rice

3 ¾ cups chicken stock

⅛ cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

2 tbsp butter

Add chicken stock, lime juice, and grated peel to large heavy saucepan on medium heat bring to boil.  Stirring occasionally.  Add rice.  Reduce heat.  Cover and cook until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed (about 20 minutes.)

*So, to make your own buttermilk (which is what I do since I'm lactose intolerant) is put 1 TBSP lemon juice or vinegar in my liquid measuring cup, then add milk to make 1 cup.  Allow to sit 5 minutes before using so the milk sours.  If you aren't lactose intolerant, omit this and just use 1 cup buttermilk.

Navajo Fry Bread for Navajo Taco

2 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon non-dairy creamer
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup warm water
Vegetable oil or shortening for frying

Optional taco toppings:

Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese
Salsa
Olives
Sour cream
Avocados
 
Preheat oven to 200° and line baking sheet with paper towels.  Stir together flour, salt, creamer, and baking powder.  Stir in warm water.  If dough is very sticky add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until dough is soft but cohesive.  Don’t knead.  Let dough rest 15-20 minutes.  Cut dough into 6-8 pieces.  On a lightly floured surface, pat first pieces of dough into a circle about ¼ inch thick.  Heat 1-inch of oil or shortening in heavy skillet over medium heat.  Oil should be 350°.  Test with a small piece of dough.  If it starts to fry immediately, the oil is ready.  Pat excess flour off first dough circle and carefully lay into the oil.  With tongs, depress the middle so the top is submerged under the oil.  Fry 3 minutes, or until the bottom is golden.  Turn and fry the other side approximately the same amount of time.  You do not need the bread to be uniformly golden.  Drain on paper towels.  Transfer to baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.  Cook remaining dough.  When all the bread is cooked, top with chili and serve with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and other optional taco toppings if desired.

Chili or Navajo Taco Filling

1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
32 oz stewed tomatoes (I use 1 quart of my canned tomatoes)

2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup water (about)
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons corn starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry

Optional garnishes:

Corn chips
Grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Warm flour tortillas
Lime wedges
Or whatever other taco or chili toppings you like 

Brown and crumble beef in pan over medium heat.  Remove meat and discard all but 1 tablespoon of grease.  Saute onion and garlic until softened in the reserved grease.  Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant.  Return beef to pan and add salt, cocoa powder and Tabasco.  Add tomatoes, beans and water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove lid and simmer uncovered  for 20 more minutes, stir occasionally.  Stir in peanut butter.  Simmer 10 more minutes.  Thicken as desired with corn starch slurry, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens.

African Chow Mein

1 – 1 ½ lbs. ground beef/turkey
1 cup chopped onion
¾ cup uncooked quick rice
2 cups celery, chopped
1 can chicken noodle soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup (see alternative below)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup water

Cream of Mushroom Alternative:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, keep the juice in

For cream mixture:  Melt butter.  Add flour and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Slowly add milk while stirring.  Add mushrooms.  Allow to thicken over medium heat.

Brown beef and onion.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish and bake 45-50 minutes at 350º.

Easy Meatloaf

1 package Stove Top stuffing
½ cup Salsa
1 ½ lb. Ground beef
1 egg

⅓ cup water

 Combine dry stuffing, egg, salsa, and water in the mixer.  Mix for about 30 seconds.  Add ground mean.  Mix for another 30 seconds.  Put in loaf pan.  Cook for 1 hour on 350°.

Meatloaf

Source: my sister-in-law.  She made this for me when I was pregnant and sick with my second daughter.  It was like manna from heaven.  (Makes a great freezer meal)

1 – 1 ½ lbs ground beef or turkey
½ cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon mustard
½ cup milk
1 small onion
1 egg
¾ teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Topping:
¾ cup Ketchup
2 TBSP brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350º.  Combine all ingredients and place in a 9X13 baking dish (it's going to be long and flat...not like a traditional meatloaf).  Spread topping evenly over the top of the meatloaf.  Cover with foil and bake 1 – 1 ½ hours.

Tara’s Chicken Salad

2-3 chicken breasts, shredded
Golden raisins
Mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip) until moist
Diced green peppers
Green onion, chopped
Celery

Boil chicken and shred.  Add remainder of ingredients.  Allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Serve chilled in croissants. 

**This is a good recipe for recycling chicken.  We like this as a summer recipe.

Creamy Italian Chicken

¼ cup butter
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Italian Dressing mix packet
1 (4 ounce) container cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup (see alternative below)

Cream of Mushroom Alternative:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, keep the juice in

For cream mixture: Melt butter. Add flour and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Slowly add milk while stirring. Add mushrooms. Allow to thicken over medium heat.

In a crockpot melt butter.  Add chicken and sprinkle packet of Italian Dressing mix over the chicken.  Cook on high for 3-5 hours until chicken is done.  Shred with a fork.  Add cream cheese and cream of mushroom soup (or alternative).  Cook on low for 1 more hour.  Serve over rice.

Dijon-Lime Chicken

3 ½ lb. Precut chicken or Split breasts
3 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP Mayonnaise
1 clove minced garlic
 zest and juice of 1 lime
¾ teaspoon pepper
Salt

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Rinse the chicken and pat dry; place in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, garlic, lime zest and juice, and pepper.  Season the chicken generously with salt.  Pour the mustard-mayonnaise mixture over the chicken and toss well to coat.  In a large baking pan, arrange the chicken to fit in a single layer.  Bake until it is cooked through; breasts will take about 30 minutes and lets will need 5-10 minutes longer.  Serve the chicken with the pan juices drizzled over the top.  If desired sprinkle a little more lime zest on chicken as a garnish

Chicken Pot Pie

1 Package (10 ounce) frozen Vegetables (Your choice...I like mixed & add extra)
⅓ cup butter or stick margarine
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup onion
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ¾ cups chicken broth (1 can)
⅔ cup milk
2 ½ to 3 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey
Frozen Pie Crust (the roll out kind works great!)

 Rinse frozen peas and carrots in cold water to separate; drain.  Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat.  Stir in broth and milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir in chicken and peas and carrots; remove from heat.  Heat oven to 425º.  Make pastry.  Roll two-thirds of the pastry into 13-inch square.  Ease into ungreased square pan, 9 X 9 X 2 inches.  Pour chicken mixture into pastry-lined pan.  Cover top with remaining pastry.  Cut slits in top.  Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown.

**Good recipe for using up leftover chicken.

Beef Fajitas

Source

1/2 C Canola oil
1/3 C soy sauce
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Combination of peppers – red, yellow, orange, green and onion, sliced.
Olive oil
Salt

Using a medium bowl,combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in a large zip loc baggie and pour marinade over the steak. Turning meat to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill for medium-high heat.  Place steaks on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Slice meat thinly going across the grain.  While meat is grilling, saute onions and peppers in olive oil and salt until tender.

 Serve with meat on a tortilla. Add sour cream, guacamole and or salsa.

**The is the fajita recipe I've been looking for all my life.  Love it!

Lemon Basil Chicken

1 cup Miracle Whip
2 teaspoon honey
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 fryer, cut up (2 ½-3 lbs.)
 
Preheat oven to 375 º.  Mix Miracle Whip, juice, honey, and basil.  Place chicken in 13X9 baking dish (sometimes I place cooked/uncooked rice and a little water under the chicken).  Spread with salad dressing mixture.  Bake 45 minutes or until cooked through and rice is cooked. 

*This recipe is nothing special, but its kid friendly and a good way to use chicken.  I like to use the precut fryer or just the split bone-in chicken breasts, which are less expensive anyways; making this a cheap meal!

Easy Chicken Wrap

⅓ cup mayonnaise

4 whole wheat tortillas
2 cups cooked chicken Breast (I like mine shredded)
¼ cup roasted sweet red peppers
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup sliced Basil leaves

Warm tortilla and chicken.  Spread Mayonnaise on tortilla and top with chicken and remaining ingredients.

*With this recipe I like to boil a split chicken breast (the bone-in kind...remove the skin) ahead of time.  Bone-in chicken tends to be cheaper, so its a good way to save money.  Boil the chicken until its done then remove and cool.  When chicken is cool, remove from the bone and set aside.  You can do this a day or so in advance or earlier in the day, which will make this a quick meal when you're ready to eat.  I like to plan this meal around another meal involving boiled chicken, because then I can do it all at once and utilize the chicken in several meals.

Easy Curry Chicken

*I got this recipe from my sister Diane

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (or shredded)

Baby carrots, halved or quartered
Celery, ½ inch pieces
Garlic, minced
1 apple, peeled and cubed
Raisins
Curry powder to taste

Cream Mixture:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 ¾ cups milk
½ cup chicken broth

Sauté baby carrots, celery, and garlic until crisp-tender (about 5 minutes).  [While this is cooking start cream mixture.]  Mix chicken and raisins into vegetables. 

Cream Mixture: Melt butter in a separate sauce pan.  Add flour to melted butter and mix over medium heat 1 minute.  Mixture should be thick and bubbly.  Slowly add milk and broth while stirring.  Allow to thicken over medium heat.  Add to chicken mixture.

 Add curry powder to taste.  When almost done, peel and cube apple.  Add to chicken mixture.  Serve over white rice.

***This recipe is easy if you're in the mood for curry chicken and don't want to devote a lot of time. The mixture of the curry, sweet, and salty is so yummy!  If you aren't lactose intollerant you can omit the butter, milk and broth and add 1 can of cream of chicken soup and 1/2 a can of water.

Garlic Chicken

**You do have to like garlic for this one, but its very good!

2 teaspoons crushed garlic
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
¼ cup parmesan cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves ( prefer to do 2 boneless skinless breast halves sliced in half lengthwise to make 4...saves money and you get a better proporting of flavors to meat...)

Preheat oven to 425°.  Warm garlic and oil to blend flavors.  In a separate dish combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Dip chicken into the oil mixture then dry mixture to coat.  Bake in shallow baking dish for 30-35 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Cake Tips

To bake a cake: I bake all my cakes at 325 degrees.  Preheat the oven for at least 40 minutes (i.e. wait 40 minutes after the oven is preheated.  Make the cake according to package directions.  I like Duncan Hines cake mixes.  Grease the pan well...or put parchment paper on the bottom of the cake.  Put batter in the pan you're using & put in the oven.  Don't even open the oven to check the cake until 30 minutes has passed.  Mine usually take 45 minute-ish.  You can check the cake in the oven by turning the light on and kind of jiggling the oven.  If the cake looks like its still battery-ish and not baked, wait.  When it stops jiggling then it's time to start checking.  Don't check too much or it can effect the way it bakes.  When the cake is done, lay a towel down with a long piece of parchment paper on top.  Remove the cake from the oven and immediately turn it upside down on the parchment paper and let it sit at least 4 hours (I prefer overnight).  When you're ready to decorate, jiggle the pan to loosen the sides, or you can turn the cake back over keeping the parchment paper on top and use a knife to loosen the sides.  Remove cake from the pan.  Again, hang on to that parchment paper and cut another piece if needed.  It makes handling the cake easier.  I have a cake leveler that is my best friend.  I level the top part of the cake off (not the bottom...the bottom tends to be nicer and crumb free so it faces up when I make the cake.  From there you can use the leveler to divide the cake in 2 layers or keep as a whole and frost!

The Monkey Cake

The Monkey Cake is made from a large round cake (10 inch) with half a ball cake placed for the nose.  I used 2 mini round cakes cut for the ears.

Then it's basically decorate away!  We did the smooth parts first (the nose, eyes, ears, then filled in with stars.  It took a long time to do all the stars, but looked so cute when done!

Fun Birthday Cakes: The Lion Cake

Lion Cake:  This was among my favorites.  You can see the picture in the picture above we were referencing, but we did a lot of our own thing and worked with what we had.  It's half of a ball cake on top of a regular round cake.  The chocolate curls are made from melting chocolates (we bought orange) melted (the whole bag) and mixed with about 1 tbsp of shortening and put into mini loaf pans (about 1 inch thick).  Then us a potato peel to curl them once the chocolate has set.  (overnight is good).  You have to play around with the peeler to figure out the different thicknesses of curls and tightness.  We tried our best to tint the frosting to match the chocolate.  I initially just dumped the chocolate on there, but it looked terrible.  My husband then fired me from the chocolate curl job and did it himself.  This is really where it pays to have an artist as a husband.  He had a great eye for placing the curls and making it look great.  I usually take the upper hand in our decorating, but this was one cake where he did the brunt of it!

The finished product!

Ocean Cake

This was the year Emmy got 2 birthday cakes.  It was right after I finished my cake decorating class and I was anxious to test my abilities.  I thought this was a fun cake.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

From According to Kelly Blog

or click here

1 package of german chocolate cake mix

1 small package (3.4 oz) of vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

1, 1-oz bottle of red food coloring

3 large eggs

1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, water, food coloring  and eggs in a large mixing bowl until well mixed.  Using a spoon, fold in the mini chocolate chips.  Fill your cupcake pan, or cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full.  Place pans in the oven and bake approximately 18+ minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, or the cupcakes “springs back” when lightly pressed.  Cool for approximately 15 minutes before frosting.

(more concerned with how red your cupcakes are, as opposed to the chocolate-ness of the cake? start with a white or yellow cake mix instead).

Cream Cheese Frosting

From According to Kelly Blog

1, 8-oz package cream cheese

1 stick of softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

4+ cups of powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and well combined.  Slowly add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until desired taste achieved. be sure to scrape down the side of bowl with a spatula.  Once well combined, beat for an additional minute or so, until everything is creamy and fluffy.  Using a pastry bag or ziplock bag, smother your cupcakes in mounds of yummy & delicious frosting.

**Photo from According to Kelly Blog

Gift Idea

creating heaven in a jar

From According to Kelly Blog

making mason jar cupcakers is seriously just about the easiest thing in the world. really & truly, it takes just a few simple steps… bake up a batch of your favorite cupcakes (whether it’s from a box or made from scratch), then you smoosh, frost & repeat. see i told you it was easy-peasey. but just in case you need a wee bit more direction, i’ve whipped up a little tutorial for you.
step one: as i said before, the first step is to whip up a batch of your favorite cupcakers. honestly, everything tastes better when eaten from a jar, with a spoon. people have raved about my straight from the box fun-fetti cupcakes (okay, so maybe i throw in an extra box of pudding) & begged for my red velvet recipe (they usually fall in love with the mini chocoloate chips which gives it an extra little umph!)… but really & truly neither of these recipes are all that special. but, when you are eating from a jar, with a spoon…. ahhhh! it’s like holding a little bit of heaven in your hands.
step two: throw away what you know about baking cupcakes, at least for the moment. when you’re making mason jar cupcakes no fancy-pants cupcake liners are needed for this job. so break out the pam, & apply liberally. go ahead – spary the dickens out of the pan, you definitely don’t want your cupcakes sticking. plus, you need the cupcake “sides” looking good & ready for their closeup. considering all you really see of the cupcake is their sides, you want those babies smooth & looking good!
step three: filling the cupcake pan has never been my forte! i always struggled trying scoop the batter into those itty bitty holes, without spilling batter everywhere. luckily one day it finally occurred to me to cheat. these days i use a makeshift pastry bag (a ziplock bag with about a 1/2 inch of the corner snipped off) to fill my cupcake pans quickly, cleanly & with an incredible amount of precision. & since filling my makeshift pastry bag can get complicated with just two hands, i like to put my water pitcher to work “holding open” the bag as i fill it.
step four: fill your cupcake pan according to your recipe (usually about 2/3 full), & then bake. this is my favorite part. i love the smell of baking cupcakes wafting through the house.
step five: now the fun begins. first select your mason jar of choice. personally i like the 8 oz. jars, because they fit two cupcakes absolutely perfectly. (although the 4 oz. jars are darling with a single cupcaker, & the 12 oz. can fit three cupcakes… so really it’s up to you.) next, you place your cupcake on top of your chosen jar & smoosh it all the way to the bottom. you don’t have to worry about man handling the top of the cupcake too much, because it will soon be covered in frosting.
step six: if you haven’t already, whip your frosting (whip it real good). or, if you’ve chosen the slightly quicker, but probably just as tasty route, scoop your frosting from the can. & just like before, once again i am going to use the “ziplock cheater” method. seriously, if you’ve never tried it, promise you will – soon! it will literally change the way you feel about making cupcakes.
step seven: time to frost! using a ziplock bag or a real pastry bag (trust me, you’ll want to use one or the other to get down near the bottom of the mason jar) & top the cupcake with frosting. i like a lot of frosting, so i usually do about a 1/2 inch worth – but do what ever you are comfortable with. & again, you don’t have to worry too much about how “pretty” it looks, because you are going to to be smooshing another cupcake on top of it.
step eight: REPEAT. that’s right, this is where you get to smoosh & frost again. when you’re frosting this final time though, try not to go too over the top. remember, you still have seal it all up, & “over the top” frosting is just going to get squeezed out. so, try to keep your frosting as level with the rim of the jar, as possible. & when you are all done… seal it up baby!
step nine: once you’ve put your lid on & you are all sealed up, it’ time to pretty up the jar. using some ribbon, or a scrap of fabric, tie a square knot. (you remember how…. right over left, left over right.)
step ten: attach a fancy pants label… download perfectly sized, blank mason jar labels HERE. then, handwrite, or using your favorite editing software such as photoshop or picnik, write a sweet note. print on paper (& tape or glue down), or use avery sticker paper. & finally cut out with a sharp pair of scissors, or a 2 inch circle punch.
step eleven: slid a vintage (or plastic) spoon through the knot & viola! you’ve got the perfect gift, thank you, party favor…

Beef Fajitas

Source
1/2 C Canola oil
1/3 C soy sauce
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Combination of peppers – red, yellow, orange, green and onion, sliced.
Olive oil
Salt

Using a medium bowl,combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in a large zip loc baggie and pour marinade over the steak. Turning meat to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
Place steaks on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Slice meat thinly going across the grain
While meat is grilling, saute onions and peppers in olive oil and salt until tender.
Serve with meat on a tortilla. Add sour cream, guacamole and or salsa.

Coconut Curry Soup

Source

*Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, (about 3), cut into 1-inch (or smaller) pieces
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14-ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
¼ cup fresh cilantro

3-4 cups hot, cooked rice for serving

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot and shimmering. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot oil. Let the chicken cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and red pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions and peppers are slightly softened. The chicken and vegetables don’t have to be fully cooked as they will simmer and cook further in the next step.

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and curry powder. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, gently, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve a ladle or two of the soup over a scoop of rice and garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

*Just like the picture, I filled a bowl half way with rice and then ladled on the "soup." Think of it more as a stew, though. It shouldn't be too soupy.

Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
*Note: If you don’t have a food processor to make fresh bread crumbs, you can try using a blender and pulsing the crumbs or try using panko bread crumbs (usually found in the Asian foods aisle). If you are using a food processor, you can also add the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to the bread crumbs and pulse to combine to create an even finer crumb.

4 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-2 thick slices whole wheat bread (for about 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Combine butter and garlic in an 8- or 10-inch skillet. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted. Pour the butter/garlic mixture into a shallow pie plate or similar dish and cool to room temperature. Pound the 4 chicken pieces with a meat tenderizer until they are about 1/4-inch thick.
In the bowl of a food processor, tear the bread into large chunks, and pulse until the bread is ground into crumbs. Pour the bread crumbs into a shallow pie plate or shallow bowl and toss with the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Dip each chicken breast in the melted, cooled garlic butter. Transfer to the bread crumb mixture and turn until coated on all sides. Arrange the chicken in one flat layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle any of the remaining melted butter over the chicken. Bake the chicken until it is lightly browned and just cooked through, 40-50 minutes. The baking time will depend on the thickness and size of the chicken you are using. Don’t overcook or the chicken will be dry.

Brazilian Lemonade

Source

 4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they’re the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; DO NOT leave this step out unless you will die of a horrible sweetened condensed milk allergy because this is the secret ingredient! You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn’t test it and it came out a little bitter. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance). Serves 4, although I can pretty much guarantee you that people will want more; I usually plan on 1 1/2 servings at LEAST per person.

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

Source:  click here

Ingredients:
2 regular size bags of popcorn, de-kerneled ( you can used air-popped or something NON buttery. I have used Orville Redenbacher's "Tender White")
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
3 squares of white almond bark
1/4 c. Karo syrup
1 stick of butter
1 t. vanilla

Combine the following in a large glass bowl:
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 t. cinnamon
Add:
1/4 c. light Karo syrup
1 stick butter
Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds, then take out and stir. Microwave for 2 minutes then stir. Two minutes again. Bowl will be very hot! Stir well.

Now combine in a small bowl:
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
Add this to the caramel mixture. It will foam and fizz. When fizz goes down, quickly pour over popcorn mixed with chopped pecans in a very large bowl (maybe even two bowls to have room to mix). Work quickly here. Mix well. Microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again.

Melt three squares of almond bark in a mocriowave safe bowl stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Spread popcorn out over a sprayed cookie sheet and then drizzle on melted almond bark.
*I like to toss it ALL in almond bark although the recipe calls for a drizzle. I use the same amt.- 3 squares.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

*I got this recipe my cousin Hila

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise

4 slices deli ham
8 slices deli Swiss cheese
Salt, Pepper & Garlic powder to taste
¼ to ½ cup bread crumbs, seasoned or unseasoned

Preheat oven to 350°.  With a sharp knife slice each breast in half length way so you have two thinner breasts.  Pound each chicken breast to about ¼ inch thickness.  Sprinkle both sides of each breast with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.  Place one slice of ham on each breast, and then one slice of cheese on each slice of ham.  Roll chicken breast up and secure with a toothpick.  Transfer to greased backing pan.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Cover with foil (or put on a cookie sheet and freeze, then store properly for the freezer).  Bake for 40 minutes or until juices fun clear.  Remove from oven and place another slice of cheese atop each breast.  Return to oven and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serves 4.

*Lactose free tip: I leave the cheese off of my chicken piece and just make sure I mark it with an extra toothpick or something

 **My Notes:  I always double this recipe and freeze half of them for later use.  Prepare as directed except everything that comes after putting it in the oven.

I*** hate pounding the chicken out, but its much easier to do after slicing the chicken in half.  I like slicing it because there is also a better distribution of chicken to ham to cheese.

Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions and Apples

Source:  I think this is a Paula Deen recipe...but I'm having trouble confirming that!

3 slices bacon
4 pork chops
 salt
 pepper
2 cups thinly sliced onion wedges
1 cup thinly sliced Gala apples
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
¾ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 7 minutes or until crisp, turning once.  Remove bacon from pan discarding all but 1 tablespoon drippings.  Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.  Cook pork chops in reserved drippings in skillet over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes per side or until done.  Remove from pan and keep warm.  Add onions, apples and rosemary to skillet.  Cook 4-5 minutes or until browned and tender.  Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in butter.  Serve sauce over pork chops, and top with crumbled bacon.

Rainbow Heart Cake

I love the inside of this cake.  I love rainbows.  I think they are beautiful.  This is Elle's 3rd Birthday cake.  It was a heart cake with the rainbow inside.  It's a bit of work, but not too hard.  It's such a beautiful finished product.  I hope to never do sprinkles on the side again though...that was a nightmare!

Rose Cake

I was terrified to make this cake because of all the roses, but it turned out not to be too bad.  I made the roses the day before (yes, they look good from a distance, but up close they weren't as pretty...).  Once the roses were made the rest was pretty easy!)

Basic Chocolate Cake

This is my usual Birthday Cake.  It's the Hershey's recipe for the cake and a chocolate buttercream frosting.  My other favorite is Carrot Cake!

Ice Cream Snowman

Make the snowman body then allow to set in the freezer for a while.  Decorate as you wish with whatever you can think of!  We used pretzel sticks, rolled out and shaped star bursts for the scarf, hat & nose.  This was a hit.

This was Elle's 2nd Birthday Cake.  It's 2 basic chocolate cakes (each divided in half...4 layers) with a chocolate buttercream frosting.  I did 2 layers of regular buttercream in the middle (one tinted pink and the other blue) to complement the butterflies).  The butterflies are made out of melted chocolate.  They were a bit of a pain to make, but overall it came together nicely.  It tasted fantastic!  The key to a good cake is to let it sit overnight so the flavors blend.

Bowl of Spaghetti Cake

This cake was so good.  It's made with cupcakes.  Tint the icing to make it look a bit more like pasta then let it just fall all over (use a decorating tip) so it looks like spaghetti.  Ferrero Rocher chocolate balls make the meat balls and the sauce is sugar free jam (sugar free has the brighter red color...).  Grated white chocolate for the Parmesan cheese.

Best Chocolate Cake Ever

This is my husband's annual birthday cake.  It is so rich and yummy that you only need to make it once a year to be satisfied (twice a year on a good year!)  The cake recipe is the one of the Hershey's Coco Powder container and it's iced with a mousse and a ganache.

Giant Cupcake Cake

This was Emmy's 3rd Birthday Cake.  It's made with a Giant cupcake pan and accessorized with cupcakes and sugar cookies.  It was a very easy cake.

Cream Tuna on Toast

2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups milk
1 can tuna

Melt butter over low heat in 1 ½ quart saucepan.  Add flour, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.  Gradually stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Add tuna.  Serve over toast.

I grew up with this one.  If I had to describe my mom's cooking it would be "Create what you can out of what is available then add a can of corn."  My mom says she hates cooking and is a terrible cook...I loved her cooking.  True, the same meal usually didn't turn out the same way twice, and my mom does have a knack for going one step too far, but I love her cooking!  Except she does like to cook in leftover bacon fat...and I just can't dig that.  Anyways, this is one of her creations I grew up with.  It was one of the few things I could make in college.  Honestly it isn't my husband's cup of tea, but the girls eat it and so do I.  Since my husband isn't a fan we don't eat it often.  It's quick though and easy!

Tilapia with Homemade Pesto

Source

1 ½ cups fresh basil (lightly packed)

4 ounces toasted pine nuts
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 pieces (6 ounces) fresh tilapia
1 TBSP olive oil

Preheat broiler.  Grind the basil, pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese with a blender or food processor until a smooth paste forms.  Slowly add ¼ cup of olive oil, grinding until a smooth sauce forms.  Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper.  Season the tilapia with salt and pepper on both sides.  Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and cook the fish for 1 to 2 minutes on the flesh side or until it turns light golden brown.  Flip the fish over and spoon the pesto generously over the fish.  Transfer pan to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.  Remove fish from broiler and allow to rest on a plate.  Serve fish hot.

Fast, Fast, Fast.  Tasty too.  Our children like fish, so this is always a good one when we're crunched for time.  Especially since the Pesto lasts for a bit when refrigerated.